Sweet, Jr., Clayton Dwight

2 Corinthians 5:8 “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” Clayton Dwight Sweet Jr., 74, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, September 10, 2008, in the Highland Ridge Rehabilitation Nursing Center, Dublin, Va. He was born on October 2, 1933, in Bluefield, W.Va.

He was preceded in death by his parents, the Rev. Clayton D. Sweet Sr. and Mary Gordon Alley Sweet; and his grandparents, William L. Alley Sr. and Mary Foard Alley, of Bluefield, W.Va., and Charles Henry Sweet and Eva Lena Sweet, of Elyria, Ohio.

Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife of 44 years, Wanda Leeson Sweet, of the home; and two sons and daughter-in-law, Clayton Dwight Sweet Ill and Joy Sweet, of Wytheville, Va., and Timothy Gordon Sweet, of Draper; two precious grandchildren, Clayton “Clay” Dwight Sweet IV and Lindsey Faith Sweet, of Wytheville; one special son in Christ, Yogi Naik and wife, Mina; and special grandson, Sunjay, of Burlington, Ontario. He was also survived by many brothers and sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews and many special church families.

He graduated from Beaver High School, Bluefield College and the University of Richmond with honors receiving the bachelor of arts degree. He also graduated from South Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary at Wake Forest, N.C. He served his Savior and Lord as the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Pulaski, Va.; First Baptist Church, Fries, Va.; Cumberland Heights Baptist Church, Bluefield, W.Va., and New Hope Baptist Chapel, Pulaski, Va.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2008, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Stevens Funeral Home, 815 Randolph Avenue, Pulaski, Va. A Celebration of Life service will be conducted on 3 p.m. Sunday, September 14, 2008, at Stevens Funeral Home with Pastor Johnny Howlett, Pastor Neal Hawks and Pastor Yogi Naik officiating. Burial will follow at Memorial Christian Cemetery, Burleigh Horton Road, Draper, Va. Arrangements by Stevens Funeral Home, Pulaski, Va.